How long does mental health technician training take in New Mexico?

Most people become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico through a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role.

Do mental health technicians need a license in New Mexico?

No statewide license is required for mental health technicians in New Mexico. See the licensing section above for the credential path.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico (2026)

Q: How much do mental health technicians earn in New Mexico?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), mental health technicians in New Mexico earned a median annual wage of approximately $39,020. Employment concentration in New Mexico is roughly 0.76 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for mental health technicians in New Mexico?

New Mexico currently employs approximately 660 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20.0% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

New Mexico psychiatric technicians earn a median annual wage of $39,020 ($18.76/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 660 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -13.5% below the national median of $45,130 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $39,020 ($18.76/hr)
25th percentile: $36,870 per year
75th percentile: $47,990 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $49,760 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $31,390 per year
Workers employed in New Mexico: 660
Versus national median: -13.5% below the U.S. median of $45,130
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.76 - this occupation is less concentrated in New Mexico than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

New Mexico employs about 660 mental health technicians earning a median $39,020 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Mental Health Technician here means completing a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role.

Key Facts

Median wage (New Mexico): $39,020/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in New Mexico: 660 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.76x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 20.0% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

Compare Mental Health Technician Schools in New Mexico

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Midland College	60.2	Contact school for pricing	$54,255	Not reported	Yes*	253 mi
2	Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus	54.6	Contact school for pricing	$54,827	30%	Yes*	89 mi
3	Trinidad State College	54.1	Contact school for pricing	$49,758	55%	Yes*	211 mi
4	San Juan College	53.0	Contact school for pricing	$46,786	Not reported	Yes*	227 mi
5	Navajo Technical University	43.0	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	16%	Yes*	175 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

New Mexico employs approximately 660 mental health technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $39,020 ¹. Nationally, mental health technician employment is projected to grow 20.0% from 2024 to 2034, with about 15,900 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: mental-health technician certificate or employer training (find programs)
Typical timeline: a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role
Median wage (New Mexico): $39,020 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico

How to become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico? Complete a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in New Mexico? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the New Mexico path.

What do mental health technicians earn in New Mexico? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in New Mexico is $39,020 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $31,390 and experienced professionals can earn $49,760 or more ¹.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in New Mexico

Complete a short program or employer training. Finish a mental-health technician certificate or train on the job. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
This is not psychiatric technician licensure. A licensed psychiatric technician is a different occupation. Do not treat that license, or a health-information technician credential, as the mental-health tech path.
Most states do not license this role. Confirm employer and facility rules. Do not apply to a licensing board for a credential that does not exist.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Mental Health Technician License Requirements in New Mexico

Most states do not license mental health technicians. This role is not psychiatric technician licensure and not health-information technology. Employers typically want a short certificate or on-the-job training.

Typical path

Complete a short certificate or employer training.
Do not apply for a psychiatric technician or HIT license as this path.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Mental Health Technician Wages by Metro Area in New Mexico

Psychiatric Technicians Wages by Metro Area in New Mexico

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), psychiatric technicians wages in New Mexico vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Albuquerque	300	$39,020	$42,140	$38,470	$47,990
Las Cruces	220	$36,870	$38,960	$31,390	$48,130

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for mental health technicians in New Mexico? New Mexico currently employs approximately 660 mental health technicians ¹. Nationally, mental health technician employment is projected to grow 20.0% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in New Mexico? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in New Mexico.

How much do mental health technicians earn in New Mexico compared to the national average? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in New Mexico is $39,020, which is $3,570 below the national median of $42,590 according to BLS data ¹.

In New Mexico

Best Trade Schools in New Mexico (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in New Mexico

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)